Five of Swords
A win that costs something.
A fight that costs more than it gains. Choose your battles.
- conflict
- tension
- hollow wins
Element: Air
What the card shows
A man in the foreground holds three swords and looks smug while two others lie on the ground. Two figures walk away with heads down toward a stormy shore.
Five is a number of strain. The man has gathered the swords but at a visible cost: the others walk off defeated, and the sky is stormy. It asks what winning is worth.
▲Upright
Conflict where the winner may be left with little.
Is winning this worth what it costs?
▼Reversed
Making amends, or walking away from a fight.
Who am I fighting, and why?
Five of Swords in a reading
In love
An argument won at the expense of the bond.
Reversed: Making amends, or walking away from a fight.
At work
Competitive workplace tactics.
Its shadow side: pettiness, hollow victories.
As one of the Swords
Thought, conflict and truth. The suit's element is Air. It shows where in daily life the reading plays out.
Related cards
The other fives, and The Hierophant, Major Arcana card 5: the same stage of a story in other parts of life.
The Hierophant
Five of Wands
Five of Cups
Five of PentaclesRead it with other cards
Questions about Five of Swords
What does Five of Swords mean in tarot?
Conflict where the winner may be left with little. Keywords: conflict, tension, hollow wins.
What does Five of Swords mean reversed?
Making amends, or walking away from a fight. Releasing: reconciliation. Excess: needing to win. Fading: defeat and shame.
What does Five of Swords mean in love?
An argument won at the expense of the bond.
What does Five of Swords mean for work?
Competitive workplace tactics.
What question does Five of Swords ask?
Upright: Is winning this worth what it costs? Reversed: Who am I fighting, and why?
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